It is now clear that the World Open will not be staged in Hainan this season – and almost certainly not in China either due to an issue with the promoter wanting to put on another non-sanctioned tournament.

Experienced veterans of the China tournaments know to leave a little extra space in the suitcase for whatever gift the promoters come up with at the usually extravagant welcome ceremony. These have included everything from porcelain to pandas in the past, and this year’s Haikou World Open proved no exception when boxes of finest rice wine were bestowed on the distinguished visiting players. One travel solution would be to finish it off before the return trip, a dilemma facing Joe Perry, John Higgins and Graeme Dott among others.